Bible Verses About Anxiety and Worry (KJV)

Worry has a way of filling the quiet hours. It shows up in the middle of the night, in the car before an appointment, or on an ordinary afternoon for no clear reason. The Bible does not pretend this doesn't happen. It speaks to anxious people often and gently, and it points them again and again to the same place: to God himself. Below are King James verses about anxiety and worry, grouped by what they say, with a little context for each and some simple ways to pray them.

What the Bible Says About Anxiety

Scripture takes worry seriously. The psalms are full of people who were afraid, overwhelmed, and unable to rest, and they said so plainly to God. David wrote, "What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee" (Psalm 56:3). He does not say he is never afraid. Fear comes; trust is what he does with it.

In the New Testament, Jesus and the apostles speak to worry directly. In the King James Version, the older phrases "be careful for nothing" and "take no thought" mean "do not be anxious." These are not harsh commands to stop feeling something. They come with promises attached: God cares for you, God knows what you need, and God gives a peace the world cannot give. The invitation is not to bury anxiety but to bring it to him.

Bring It to God

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6–7 (KJV)

Paul wrote this letter while he was in chains (Philippians 1:13). "Be careful for nothing" means "do not be anxious about anything." His answer is prayer about everything, with thanksgiving. The promise is not that every problem disappears, but that the peace of God will keep, or guard, your heart and mind.

Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

1 Peter 5:7 (KJV)

To cast something is to throw it off, the way you might set down a load you were never meant to carry alone. The reason Peter gives is simple and personal: "he careth for you."

Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

Psalm 55:22 (KJV)

David wrote Psalm 55 in deep distress. He describes fear and trembling (55:5), wishing he could "fly away, and be at rest" (55:6), and the pain of being turned on by a close companion (55:12–14). He does not promise that the burden will vanish. He promises that the LORD "shall sustain thee."

God Is Near

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.

Psalm 46:1–3 (KJV)

Psalm 46 imagines the worst: the earth removed, the mountains carried into the sea, the waters roaring. Even then, "will not we fear," because God is "a very present help in trouble." His help is not far away. It is present.

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

Psalm 46:10 (KJV)

This is the verse behind our song Be Still and Know. In the psalm, these words come right after a picture of God making "wars to cease unto the end of the earth" (46:9). "Be still" is a call to stop striving and remember who God is. For an anxious heart, it can mean simply pausing, breathing, and letting the truth settle in: he is God, and "The LORD of hosts is with us" (46:11).

Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

Isaiah 41:10 (KJV)

God spoke these words to Israel, the people he had chosen and "not cast thee away" (Isaiah 41:9). Count the promises in one verse: I am with thee, I am thy God, I will strengthen thee, I will help thee, I will uphold thee. Fear is answered not with an explanation but with his presence.

In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.

Psalm 94:19 (KJV)

"The multitude of my thoughts" is an honest description of anxiety: thoughts that crowd in and will not settle. The psalmist does not say the thoughts stopped. He says that in the middle of them, God's comforts delighted his soul.

If your fear is tied to danger or an uncertain future, Psalm 91 is another good place to rest; see our Psalm 91 devotional on trusting God's protection. And if your worry comes with exhaustion, Elijah's story in 1 Kings 19 is worth reading. When the prophet was worn out and afraid, God gave him sleep and food before he gave him a word (1 Kings 19:5–8). We reflect on that chapter in what Elijah's story teaches about burnout and rest.

Do Not Worry About Tomorrow

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus spends a whole passage on worry (Matthew 6:25–34). He points to the birds, who "sow not, neither do they reap," yet "your heavenly Father feedeth them" (6:26), and to the lilies of the field, clothed more beautifully than Solomon (6:28–29). He asks a plain question: "Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?" (6:27). Worry cannot add anything to our lives. Then he ends with this:

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Matthew 6:33–34 (KJV)

Jesus is not saying that food, clothing, and tomorrow do not matter. He says "your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things" (6:32). The point is trust and order: seek God first, and take life one day at a time. Each day has enough trouble of its own without borrowing tomorrow's.

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Matthew 11:28–30 (KJV)

Anxiety is often a kind of heavy labor carried on the inside. Jesus invites all who "labour and are heavy laden" to come to him, and he describes himself as "meek and lowly in heart." A yoke is still a yoke, but his is easy, and the rest he offers reaches the soul. Jesus calls himself the shepherd who cares for his sheep, too; see what John 10:11 means.

The Peace He Gives

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

John 14:27 (KJV)

Jesus spoke these words to his disciples on the night before he was crucified, as he prepared them for his going away (John 14:1–3). The chapter opens with the same words, "Let not your heart be troubled" (14:1). His peace is "not as the world giveth": it does not depend on circumstances going well. We look at this verse more closely in finding peace in God's presence.

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

Isaiah 26:3 (KJV)

"Stayed" means fixed or resting upon something. The mind that keeps returning to God, rather than circling the problem again and again, is kept "in perfect peace."

Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all.

2 Thessalonians 3:16 (KJV)

Paul closes this letter with a blessing: that "the Lord of peace himself" would give peace "always by all means." Peace is not something we have to manufacture. It is a gift from a Person, and he is with us.

How to Pray These Verses

You do not need special words. Here is a simple pattern you can use with any of the verses above.

1. Choose one verse. Read it slowly, out loud if you can. Short verses like 1 Peter 5:7 or Psalm 56:3 are easy to carry through the day.
2. Name your worry. Philippians 4:6 says "let your requests be made known unto God." Be specific. The psalms show that God is not put off by honest prayer.
3. Give thanks for something. Paul pairs prayer with thanksgiving. Thanking God for one good thing, even a small one, turns your attention from the problem to the One who helps.
4. Hand it over. Pray the words of 1 Peter 5:7 back to God: "I cast this care on you, because you care for me." You might open your hands as you pray, as a small sign of letting go.
5. Be still. Sit quietly for a minute with Psalm 46:10. You do not have to fix anything in that minute. Just remember who God is.
6. Come back as often as you need. Worry often returns, and so can prayer. Scripture says "Pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

Psalm 23 is also a good psalm to pray slowly, one line at a time; our Psalm 23 devotional walks through it.

Prayer and Scripture are a real help, and they are not the only help God gives. If anxiety stays with you, keeps you from sleeping, or makes ordinary life hard, it is worth talking with a doctor or counselor too, alongside prayer.

A Prayer

Lord, you know the thoughts that crowd my mind today, and you know the things I am afraid of. I bring them to you now, one by one. Thank you that you care for me, that you know what I need, and that you are a very present help in trouble. Help me to cast my cares on you and to leave them there. Quiet my heart, and help me to be still and know that you are God. Give me your peace, the peace that passes all understanding, and keep my heart and mind in Christ Jesus. Give me strength for today, and help me trust you with tomorrow. In Jesus' name, amen.